We are knock knock knocking on 2020’s door. Industries are modernizing all around us, every day, with new technology offering new solutions to consumers all over the world.
How then is the roofing industry modernizing?
More often than not, the common roofing company in Texas is built for the sole purpose of getting full roof replacements. Profit being the driving factor. Your car doesn’t need replaced every time you need it serviced, and neither should your roof.
In this article, we will show you how technology is keeping roofing contractors accountable, or should be.
What Roofing Technology Would A Homeowner Want To Know About?
Once upon a time, when a little old lady needed a professional to come look at her roof once she noticed a leak, she had to simply trust what she was told by the pros. Not anymore.
If you can’t verify what damages you are told exist on your roof, how can you possibly know what kind of deal you got on the repairs?
Now, with the addition of Company Cam, to the roofing industry, homeowners can request a photo report of the damages on their roof. With this, even an elderly homeowner can see for themselves what damages exist on their roof. No climbing ladders needed!
Company Cam is an application that roofing contractors can use to create a file under the customer name, and take photos which are automatically uploaded to that file. These photos are all time stamped, so it is easy to track when they were taken.
Once complete, you can have the digital photo file sent directly to your email, for your personal records. This allows homeowners to actually see the damages on their roof, without risking their safety to verify things for themselves.
What Other Modern Roofing Tech Should You Know About?
We’re glad you asked. If your roofing company is saying that there is a lot of hidden damage below the surface of your roof, how can you verify what they are saying? Photos can’t help you in this instance, but something has to keep you informed, right?
It is not a free service, but with the addition of Thermal Drone Technology to the roofing industry, now you can see below the surface of your roof without having to peel it open!
One of the common hidden problems in roofs is trapped moisture. Your roof’s surface may look fine, aside from some small bulges in a few spots. However, there can be a wide range of water damage hidden below a seemingly small amount of damage.
You can tell where the moisture is trapped by noticing the darker areas of the roof. Thermal technology detects heat signatures, and water creates areas of low heat signature.
As you can see in the above roof, water damage can become quite widespread, if it isn’t caught in time.
(To inquire about this service, feel free to contact us by following this link. We will redirect you to our personal roofing company website.)
What About Shingles?
Another brilliant question! Shingles have indeed modernized with the times. For what seems like eons, 3 Tab shingles have been the industry standard, and they still dominate the market. The reason they are still the market leader is simply for their cost.
Most common 3 Tab asphalt shingle design.
- Usually rated for 30 years.
- Usually rated for up to 60 mph winds.
- Normally resistant up to nickel size hail stones.
That being said, without proper maintenance those numbers will most likely be drastically reduced in results. Not to insinuate that stronger roof designs don’t require regular maintenance as well. Every good roof, has a good maintenance plan.
So what has been done to modernize asphalt shingles? To increase the durability and longevity of asphalt shingles, the Architectural Laminate Shingle was invented.
Although it was invented in the 70’s, it’s design has been perfected in recent years, earning it a place in our modern roofing solutions blog.
Common range of architectural laminate shingle ratings (depending on manufacturer and intended design).
- From 30 to 50 year rated.
- Rated from 80mph to 120 mph wind.
- Up to Class 4 Impact Resistant hail ratings (quarter to golfball size hail stones, depending on density of hail).
Designed specifically for high wind and storm rich areas, laminate shingles outperform asphalt shingles greatly. If you live in an area notorious for high wind speeds, especially for second story homes, laminate shingles can save you quite a bit of money thanks to their durability.
When your average 3 Tab asphalt shingle roof is worn beyond repair, most laminate shingle roofs live on for many more years. This saves you the cost of reroofing your home by delaying the need altogether, for decades potentially. (and not to worry, they retain their beauty as much as their functionality.)